Hance thought he might ask me out to dinner one day to meet Gen. Norton, who is a mountaineer, but on asking Baba, he said, "play marbles or golf or walk with him, but don't eat with him."

Last night Nilu was telling me some stories of the early days at Manzil-E-Meem, Bombay, and he described how Baba tested Adi, Sr. in 1922 or 1923. He had a very hard time, and Baba used to throw his bedding out into the street telling him to clear out and that he did not want him there. But Adi stuck on. (By such means do Masters deal with the sanskaras of their followers.) On another occasion, there had been a serious breach of one of Baba's rules, to which everyone had signified acceptance. Baba had it put on a board that there had been this disobedience, and asked the culprit to confess. No one responded, and again the next day the same notice was put up, and the following day also. As there was no result, Baba called the guilty person to him and then he confessed to the misdemeanor three days ago. The result of this act of disobedience and deception is still seen upon the person concerned and he is at Meherabad, begging Baba daily for mercy . . . Baba now gives him extra money and feeds him, but he is still as he was after the event. "It just shows the effect of disobeying Baba" . . .

10/10/39   Two days ago the remainder of the Mandali from Meherabad arrived, Padri, Pendu, Dr. Ghani, Masa Mama and the boys, and lots and lots of luggage, and the animals. The house is now quite full and Adi, Sr. is in a house two miles off with his sister.

Discussing events in the war, Baba added "what you fellows forget is what would happen if there was a revolution in Germany" . . . "Although spiritually the opponents in the war are one, in Maya they are opposite." Speaking of His own spiritual work in world affairs, he also referred to economic upheavals, and of the extension of the struggle to certain non-combatants . . .

Baba likes the new mast, "Pasha". He himself calls himself "Pasha" or king, and he bosses all the others about. Mahomed is terrified of him, because he teases him and whenever he sees him, he runs into the house at full speed - rather pathetic, but funny too.

Yesterday, I went with Behramshed* to a saint's tomb, about two miles outside the town.

Baba speaks highly of the Viceroy, and that it is not England's fault that India is as she is. Congress, Muslim League, and native states all come to him and say "Don't listen to the others" so that there is no unity to produce efficient home rule.

The international situation was further explained with possibilities in different directions and the ultimate result on the outer plane, and that all dictators must eventually go... The war will however be full of reverses and surprises. "Did any of us expect Russia to join Germany" He said. There will be a new grouping of some of the states at loggerheads, after the war on a democratic basis.

Baba starts fasting on 21st October, having only two cups of tea each day, and each of us will fast for a day with him, thus taking it in turns.

Nilu and I were called over to see Nonny** last Friday morning at 5 A.M. 13th October. She was in heart distress, restless, pale cold extremities, blue lips and had had pain in the abdomen. We gave her heart stimulants. Later in the day we gave oxygen, but she got steadily worse. Baba was out at the Centre site, and returned at 6:50 P.M. Apparently while He was in the car returning, He said at 6:40 that Nonny had died then.

*This is Eruch's father - Papa Jessawala:  Byramshaw Dorab Jessawala.
In my copy of Donkin's diary, it is spelled:  Beramshal.  His given name was spelled in different ways by others - but Byramshaw is the correct way, according to his son Meherwan.-David Fenster to webmaster JK in 2009.

**Nonny Gayley, Rano's mother