AT TIMES, the Master’s physical body would react very strangely, and he would not explain why. On October 2nd, (1922) Baba was in an exceptionally good mood all day. But when he was retiring for the night, he called Ghani and said, “I have a high fever.” Ghani felt his hand and found the fever was slight; but his forehead and chest were burning hot! Baba cryptically said, “This is the second illness, and quite different from the first.” He was in much pain, complaining about aching knees and feet, and felt restless. He looked delirious, muttering incoherent words, as Ghani massaged his legs. Although the windows were open, Baba oddly complained of feeling hot. After some time, he complained of feeling cold. Ghani covered him with a blanket, and was told to leave him alone.
In the morning, the mandali found this notice written on the board:
The whole night, fever was my strict companion. Now tell me, with sleepless nights, weakness resulting from the last illness, and fever – with all three combined, what hope is there for me to avoid the fatal illness which has already begun its attack?
– Merwan October 3, 1922
During breakfast, Baba divulged that at night he had actually wept. As proof, he told the men to ask Gustadji, who had seen the tears flowing from his eyes. He said, “May my enemy never suffer the kind of night I suffered last night!”
Referring to his sickness in the afternoon, Baba remarked in the presence of Sadashiv Patel and others: “This is the third time during the last eight years that I have actually shed tears and then gotten ill. The first two illnesses were a wound in my shoulder and then the dysentery at Ajmer.
“For the various members of my circle, I will thus have to die twenty-eight times, and every time I will have to cry! But the subsequent illnesses will be lesser and lesser in severity. This fever is for you, Sadashiv, who always suffers from it. The first two sicknesses concerned Gustadji and Behramji. The second group, for whom I will have to suffer, includes Ghani. In the circle, Ghani’s number is seven and it is most significant because, even after Realization, this number is always with the Perfect Master. The next three to four illnesses will be somewhat severe, but the suffering will lessen thereafter.”
Listening to this explanation, some of the mandali were wondering when Baba would have to suffer for them. (1)
(1) The Avatar’s every breath is for the benefit of all animate as well as inanimate things in creation. It is for this purpose he takes form on the physical plane. His universal work concerns everything in the creation. He forms his circle of 122 people and does his universal work through each circle member. At times, the Avatar suffers and, consequently, so may the circle members. Refer to Avatar of the Age Meher Baba Manifesting, pages 112-122 for an explanation about the functioning of the circle.
Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, Original Publication, Vol. 2, p. 411 – 412.