At one point, referring to Baba’s book, which had not been seen since 1958, Eruch asked, “What about your book?” Baba assured him, “It is in good hands,” and gestured tipping a hat (which, depending on the context, could be interpreted as either Adi Sr., in the West, or with a Westerner).
On Sunday morning, January 26, Baba was transferred to a surgical bed. He felt more comfortable in it, as it could be adjusted, raised and lowered. But since early that morning until around noon, violent horrendous spasms racked his body every few minutes. They completely exhausted him. Goher intervened and administered a sedative, and the spasms gradually subsided.
These last days, Baba was eating better, taking breakfast at 8:00 A.M. He drank Complan (a protein mixture) with water at 10:00 A.M. and later coconut water.
Baba slept well that night for six and a half hours until 4:00 A.M., and was not disturbed by any spasmodic jolts. But from 6:30 until 7:15 A.M., he complained of pain in the small of his back. Turning over in bed was very difficult for him during this period. Yet, sometimes his body would become so light and supple that he could turn in bed on his own.
Adi was instructed to phone Dr. Ginde in Bombay that day and ask him to come to Ahmednagar as soon as possible for a quick visit. Although it had already been arranged that Dr. Ginde would come in February, and stay for four or five days at Sarosh’s house… Ginde said he would now come at noon on January 31.
Baba had been dictating lines to be written into ghazals to Bhau for several months. On the evening of January 29, he dictated this line in Hindi, to be the theme that he wished Bhau to use to compose a ghazal:
“What’s the use of living, when you have gone away?”
Bhau wondered about the line’s meaning. Soon he would understand. This was the last poetic line Baba ever gave him.
After examining Baba, Dr. Grant concluded, “I do not understand anything and I can do nothing until further tests are done, so that a definite diagnosis can be determined. And this can only be done if you come to Poona. We will take different tests to find out the reasons for the spasms.”
Baba replied, “My time has come.”
Around 9:15 P.M., with a tender and joyful expression, Baba gestured to Bhau, “Remember this, I am not this body!”
—Extracted from www.lordmeher.org, p6696-6714
Photo source – The film “Beyond Words” directed by Louis van Gasteren, filmed in 1967