After returning home to the bungalow, I asked Baba, "Was I dreaming?" Baba replied, "No, it was more like a daze.
You were neither awake nor asleep. You actually experienced these things physically."
Then I inquired, "Was it symbolic?" "Yes," answered Baba.
"In the future you will know in detail its full meaning."
Since Naja was not well in Panchgani, Kitty was doing the cooking. She had Baba's strict instructions to see that no food was left over or wasted. But at times, something did remain, as she was not used to cooking for so many. When there was leftover dal, Kitty would drink it down, and if there happened to be too much vegetable that day, this too she would consume. Age was amazed that a well-off British woman was disposing of food in this manner. It was a testament to her intense desire to fulfill her Master's order.
Baba had also given the women the order that, on Sundays, they were to keep silence and eat only one meal, at 3:00 P.M., of bread, butter and tea. Kitty provided this simple food. While Baba was traveling to Bangalore to look at sites for the ashram, some of the group approached Kitty and asked for toast instead of bread. She agreed, and by the following Sunday, a few more wanted the same.
When Baba returned, he did not mention this breach of his order.
It was only a month later in Meherabad, when Baba called all together early one morning and distributed oranges, that he remarked, "Kitty thinks more of pleasing others than she does of pleasing me!"
Baba then brought up the incident in Panchgani, and Kitty tried vainly to defend herself. Baba said he would relieve her of her household duties and give them to someone else. Kitty got so upset she threw her orange across the room — and it landed at Baba's feet.
Baba then made a strange remark: "Now your slate is clean."
At the time, Kitty wondered what Baba meant, but years later she understood Baba's remark to indicate that her "slate" of both good and so-called bad deeds must be balanced.
Baba pointed out to her, "To please others, you broke my order! But by your pleasing all, and displeasing me, you will gain nothing. Try only to please me, and in doing so, even if you displease the whole world, you will gain everything!
"You are attentive to the pleasure of all, but ignore my instructions! Try only to keep me pleased, and if, by doing so, all others are displeased, have no care for it."
Baba would often warn Rano not to argue.
Even if she tried to explain something, Baba would snap, "Don't argue!"