On January 10th (1939), Baba gave darshan to women only. Since no man was allowed to be present, sister Mani read his alphabet board in Chanji’s place.
Baba gave darshan continually from seven-thirty in the morning until late that evening without taking food. Person after person passed before Baba. Finally, Chanji sent him a message: “What’s the hurry? Can’t you spare even a little time to eat?”
Baba replied with these cryptic words, “Only in this hurried atmosphere is my work done, especially the work of cleaning and sweeping.”
At one point, the deputy superintendent of police, Ali Akbar, very anxiously came to see Baba and said, “Baba, my son is gravely ill in the hospital! Please have your nazar on him!”
Baba comforted and assured him, “Don’t worry. He will be all right. I have my eye on him!”
Finally, acceding to Chanji’s request, Baba was about to interrupt darshan and go for his meal when Mahendra Lal Chowdhary of Mandla arrived with Pathak Pleader. Pathak had taken Baba to see a site in Mandla for setting up an ashram, but at that time Baba had not made any concrete commitment.
Chowdhary, a wealthy person, prayed to Baba to accept a small gift from him. Baba asked what it was, and Chowdhary replied that it was his land behind the Circuit House – one hundred acres with two thousand mango trees on it!
Baba resisted, replying, “I want only love, not dakshina – offering of material object. The dakshina of pure love is the highest type of donation one can make.”
But Chowdhary and Pathak sincerely entreated Baba to accept the gift. After a discussion lasting over two hours, Baba finally accepted the property. Chowdhary said, “I am blessed today as you have accepted my dakshina. It is a sign of your love for me!” He invited Baba to Mandla and on the next day, January 11th, Baba went there. Baba liked the beautiful place very much and sat for half an hour under a tree.
He remarked, “I am infinitely old, but in you I am young. This is my old, old spot,” and looking at Chowdhary and Pathak added, “And here are my old, old friends …” Baba did not explain their past connection.
Baba returned to Jabalpur the same day and assigned to Jal Kerawala the work of legally transferring the property to his name.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 7, p. 2364.