(Feb. 1949) From Belgaum, Baba proceeded with the group to the town of Vengurla, where Donkin had made their arrangements for a stay of four or five days. As he had done two years previously when they visited this seaside spot, Baba permitted the women to swim in the ocean. Once, Baba himself waded in the sea with Eruch, though Baba did not know how to swim.
During his stay in Vengurla, he again contacted the fifth plane mental conscious Lala Mast. The mast was living far away in an isolated area, and Baba asked Eruch, “Isn’t there any shortcut?”
Eruch reported, “There is an inlet, but it is full of brackish water. It would be difficult to cross, and it smells awful. There are tiny canoes that ferry passengers, but it is rather dangerous.”
“We’ll take the shortcut,” Baba decided. “Why spend an hour driving this long, zigzag way?” They left the car, and Baba walked with Eruch to the inlet.
Eruch told the young fisherman’s son plying his canoe that he would be paid well, but that he should be extra careful taking them across. The boy agreed, and scrubbed his boat well for the distinguished gentleman. Baba took off his coat and, handing it to Eruch, stepped into the hollowed-out palm tree canoe wearing only his sadra. Eruch was carrying a satchel containing a water bottle, soap, a towel, washcloth, and so forth. While travelling with Baba to contact masts, these things were necessary to wash the mast, and clean the often squalid area where they stayed. In addition, the bag carried sweets, clothing, cigarettes, paan and other items a mast might ask for.
Eruch got in and the canoe pushed off. But after going some distance, the boy’s friends, who were swimming alongside, began teasing the boy and roughhousing. Suddenly, the canoe over-turned, and Baba, Eruch and the boy were thrown into the water. The channel was not deep, but Baba had gone under and Eruch had to dive down and pull Baba to the surface. They had to wade through the dirty water to reach the other side. Eruch had the bag in one hand, and with the other helped Baba across and out of the smelly water. Their clothes and the bag were drenched.
After being helped up on the bank, Baba turned to Eruch and remarked, “Just as you have helped me out of this dirty water today, so also one day I will help you out of the filth of Maya.” Baba sat down and instructed Eruch to go and bring his other clothes from the bungalow.
Eruch protested, “How can I leave you here alone?”
But Baba insisted, “Don’t think about it; go and bring a change of clothes for me.” (1)
Eruch returned to the dak bungalow and asked Goher for clothes for Baba. “Where’s Baba?” she asked.
Thinking quickly, Eruch replied, “With the mast.”
Eruch brought the clothes, and Baba changed into them behind a bush. He instructed Eruch to wash his dirty clothes and hang them in the sun to dry, so that when he would give them to Goher, she would not be suspicious. They then went to Lala Mast’s isolated hut, and Baba was pleased with the contact.
(1) This is one of the rare occasions when Meher Baba was actually left alone with none of the mandali near him physically.
Lord Meher,Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 9, pp. 3321 – 3322.