On January 30th, (1948) a mad person who was walking on the road in Ahmednagar was brought to Pimpalgaon. The person who brought him thought he was a mast, but Baba indicated that he was simply mad. He was full of lice and Baba shaved his head, gave him a bath and clothed him in new clothes. After feeding him, Baba sent him back to Ahmednagar the same day. In the morning Baba had mentioned, “A very significant event will occur today,” but when the day progressed as usual, everyone forgot the remark. Yet something would happen that night.
Adi Sr., with his assistant Waman Padole, arrived at Pimpalgaon unexpectedly. Adi would come each day, but never so late. Kaka Baria, Baidul, Donkin and Vishnu were surprised by his sudden appearance, and Kaka went to inform Baba. Baba came to the ashram from Gyara’s cabin with Chhagan, who was now doing nightwatch in Krishna’s place. Adi informed Baba that Mahatma Gandhi had been assassinated at 5:17 P.M.
Baba at once dictated on the board: “Gandhi’s whole political life of sacrifice and selfless service was for his love of God, whom he longed to see until the very end!”
Much correspondence had been exchanged between Mahatma Gandhi and Chanji, and Chanji and Dr. Deshmukh had met him a number of times. Gandhi had seen Baba three times in 1931 – once on the S.S. Rajputana, a second time in London and thereafter in Bombay. Baba would talk about him often, and loved, appreciated and praised his dedication to the nation.
It would not be wrong to suggest that Mahatma Gandhi was Meher Baba’s medium for accomplishing his work in the political sphere; because of Gandhi’s efforts India had won its independence from the British. This also must be the reason why, until the last, Gandhi had stuck to politics, though he was a lover of God and had even promised Baba to join him after India was freed. (1)
Now he had really joined Baba!
The leader of the nation was guided by
and had come to the Father of Creation!
A time will come when he will lead
and guide the world as a Perfect Master!
Elizabeth Patterson had cried the day before, and when Baba inquired the reason she said, “Foundy is dying.”
Baba answered, “That dog will live longer than Mahatma Gandhi.”
Gandhi was shot the next day and Foundy lived two days more.
(1) Meher Baba had previously stated that Mahatma Gandhi had a greater destiny than leading India free from British rule, that he was destined to work for the whole world and would become a Perfect Master after three more lifetimes.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 9, pp. 3235 – 3236.