WITH YOU TILL THE VERY END

 
I was living in Poona and was an active member of the Poona bhajan group. Baba came to Poona that summer and was staying at the Ganeshkind Botanical Gardens. This was before Baba started staying regularly at Guru Prasad.

Baba decided that He wanted to have a meeting with the Poona bhajan group and He asked one of its members to draw up a list of those who were involved in this group so they could be invited to attend the meeting. But all of this was supposed to be strictly confidential. Once informed of the meeting, you were not supposed to let anyone else know about it. Still, somehow, we sensed that something was up. And while no one would openly talk about it, we used to drop hints to each other, make suggestive comments in our conversation and therefore I was waiting eagerly for someone to come and officially invite me to the meeting....

As time passed I became quite anxious. I had discovered that the meeting was to be held that afternoon and I waited with much hope and anticipation until the last moment for my invitation to arrive. To my surprise, no one ever showed up to inform me about the meeting. As I was quite active in the group, there had never been any doubt in my mind as to my being invited. It was a painful shock for me and I felt deeply hurt at this omission.

My emotions were in such turmoil that I decided to take off on my bicycle and cycle away to some lonely place where I could be by myself. I told my mother that I was going out and left the house.

At first I just cycled aimlessly but eventually I came to the Sangam Bridge at the juncture of the Mula and Mutha Rivers. The afternoon was hot, but not nearly as torrid as the emotions raging within me. I got down from my cycle and sat under a tree for an hour or so and then cycled home, hot, dejected and tired.

To my surprise, before I could even enter the house, my mother started shouting at me, scolding me for not telling her exactly where I was going when I left. She said, "Baba sent a car here to take you to the Botanical Gardens. Now rush there immediately."

I was stunned at this news. I cursed myself now for ever having left the house, but it was too late now to worry about that. I jumped on my cycle and began to pedal as fast as I could, wishing all the while that I could go even faster. When I reached the gardens and the house where Baba was staying, I just threw my cycle down and ran forward.

As I entered the room, Baba looked at me so lovingly that I couldn't contain my emotions and I burst out into tears. "Why didn't you come for the meeting?" Baba gestured.

"I was not called," I replied. Baba looked very surprised to hear this, and then He gestured for me to come and sit near Him. I went forward and sat facing Baba, with my back to all the others who were there. Baba looked at Eruch and gestured, "Why was his name left off the list?"

Eruch said, "Baba, I did not prepare the list." And Eruch then informed Baba of who had done it. When I heard the name I was taken aback. The person responsible was none other than my classmate and very close friend. I couldn't believe he could have left me out intentionally and was sure it must have been some sort of mistake.

But Baba turned to me and gestured, "You say that you are close friends. But what kind of friendship is this? You were together in school, in college and both of you have come to me and love me, but still he forgot to include your name. Your own friend!" Baba continued to tease me in this vein for some time.

But then He turned serious and looking straight into my eyes He declared, "Always remember one thing. All your relations in the world — your father, mother, brothers, sisters and friends — are only your companions for the time being. They remain with you for a certain period but I am the only companion who is with you from the very beginning and will remain with you till the very end."