As instructed, daily Krishna would carry Baba's meals to him in the cage-room, leave the food on the floor, and go away without seeing Baba. A bell was hung in front of Baba's room. After eating, Baba would go inside the cage and pull on a rope to ring the bell for Krishna, who would come and take away the empty tiffins. Krishna too had a rope on the outside that was attached to the bell. When he rang the bell two times at eight in the morning, for instance, Baba would know that Vishnu was coming, so he would retire inside. This went on for six or seven days until the following incident occurred.
One afternoon as Krishna sat in his usual position outside the compound gate, he heard the bell ring. Krishna related what happened next:
I wondered why Baba was calling me in the middle of the afternoon, because it was not his tea time. I entered the gate. I had just opened the gate when I saw Baba standing in front of me. A blazing light stronger than a hundred suns shone from his body. I was overwhelmed by its brightness. I swooned. Catching one side of the gateposts with my right hand for support, I lost consciousness.
Baba hurried over to Krishna and grasped his left bicep. He pulled the muscle so hard it tore in two pieces. The searing pain brought Krishna back to consciousness.
“”"Why did you come inside?" Baba demanded angrily. "Do you want to burn? Do you want to die? Do you want to be blind? Why did you come? Who called you?"
Krishna was weeping. After a few minutes, he replied, "Baba, the bell was ringing."
"I don't know," Krishna replied. "I'm innocent, Baba."
Baba went inside. Krishna remained slumped by the compound gate, unable to move. Baba came out again within five minutes. He was smiling. Baba caressed Krishna's face.
“”"Don't worry," he said. "I forgive you. What has happened has happened."
Krishna got to his feet and Nilu was called to treat his injury. The muscle never healed properly and left a scar. But it served as a lifelong reminder to Krishna of what he had seen that day on Meherabad Hill.
“”On Thursday, 29 August 1940, when Baba was with the women, he commented, "To be with me at this period needs infinite good sanskaras of the past."
Baba instructed the women not to send the dog Warrior anymore, because he would be shifting the mad and other masts up the hill from the Family Quarters.
