"Anyway, try once again and give him the article, 'Selfishness.' "
I shall write the article on Shri Baba for the Times of India , after consulting him.
Yours sincerely,
[sd.] Abdul Ghani Munsiff
P.S. He [Gandhi] would not have refused other articles, but the only one he has any excuse to refuse is the first article, 'The Avatar.' The opportunity is lost and reaction is likely to set in.
— [sd.] M. S. Irani
P.P.S. Illaj [remedy] suggested by Baba:
"Take all the articles of Baba to Mr. Gandhi and tell him that 'The Avatar' article is the only personal article by Shri Baba. All the rest are impersonal, spiritual and philosophical. Mr. Gandhi should have the choice of any of them to begin with."
The next day, 25 June, Baba sent another letter to Chanji in Bombay:
Dear Chanji,
Gandhi is in Bombay from today. See him immediately and tell him what I told you last and then come here to report.
As requested, Chanji then went to see Mahatma Gandhi in Bombay and delivered this message to him from Baba:
You are right in what you say. Your translating "The Avatar" article would be your committing yourself without knowing me. Keep the article "The Avatar" pending until you experience Baba as the Avatar yourself. But now translate the other articles by me — those only which appeal to you and you approve of.
If you approve of none, I free you from your promise of translating my writings in Gujarati.
You can send anyone to see me and my work at Meherabad. But I would like you NOT to come to see me unless you 100 percent feel, of your own, to come.
I want you to read all my articles.
Chanji then said to Gandhi, "Baba knows you are not ignorant enough to think it is propaganda to have your name as translator of his articles. If you think so, then you must say so and he will relieve you of your promise.
"As Baba says, 'My propaganda is my own Self !' "
Gandhi took the articles to read and said he would let Baba know what he thought.
The facts were that Meher Baba was not really interested in having Mahatma Gandhi translate his articles into Gujarati.