The mandali's minds seemed to have come to a standstill. Dr. Ginde tried to comfort them by saying, "Baba is eternal." Baba had called him to Meherazad for this purpose, so that he might offer consolation to all.

One of the reasons Dr. Ginde and Adi had been minutes late was that as soon as Ginde arrived at Adi's office, he went to the bathroom, and within moments he had a mild heart attack. But he did not reveal this to Adi and, feeling weak, only asked for a cup of hot milk before proceeding to Meherazad.

Dr. Ginde told the men, "Don't be sentimental. Baba would want you to be practical." He then wrote out Meher Baba's death certificate which read:

This is to certify that Mr. Merwan Sheriar Irani known as Avatar Meher Baba, aged 74 years 11 months, who had been in delicate state of health for the past few years with nephritis and hypertension associated with chronic anemia and diabetes, took a sudden turn for the worse about 12 noon today, Friday the 31st January 1969, developed spasms and died of respiratory failure in spite of all attempts at resuscitation.

Dr. Goher R. Irani, M.B.B.S.
Dr. William Donkin
Dr. Ram G. Ginde

Meherazad (Pimpalgaon-Malvi)
Ahmednagar
Dated: Friday, 31st January 1969
Time: 12:15 P.M.

Eruch recalled that Baba had instructed the mandali several times: "Wherever I may drop my body, bring it to Meherabad and place it in the samadhi." Eruch also remembered that Baba had told him to play the record of the Cole Porter song Begin the Beguine when he dropped his body.

Dr. Ginde suggested that Baba's body should be moved to Meherabad within six hours. Mehera and the other women wanted to keep Baba's body at Meherazad. Mani argued with Ginde, "Baba had once told me that if he goes into a coma some day and becomes unconscious, he would revive after seven days."

Dr. Ginde explained, "But this is not a coma. The heart of a person in a coma continues to beat, and his respiration and pulse do not stop. Baba is not in a coma."

Mani did not agree and continued to argue. It was suggested that Baba's body should be kept in mandali hall at lower Meherabad for three days. Ginde explained that it would be difficult to move a decomposed body to the crypt after three days.

Eruch then said, "As ordered by Baba, his body should be taken to his samadhi at Meherabad."