His disgust was so great that when the girl innocently asked to accompany him, he spit in her face. The girl's feelings were hurt and she complained to Baba. Baba called Krishna and asked for his side of the story.
"You have done a terrible thing," Baba reprimanded.
He directed the girl to remove her sandal and slap Krishna with it. Krishna was ordered to bow down to her and seek her forgiveness. When the girl left, Baba asked Krishna why he did that. Krishna said, "Baba, I do not want to touch any woman; I do not want to have any contact with any woman."
Baba spelled out to him, "You say you do not want to have anything to do with women, but you will marry! You will have one son, also! He will cry. When he cries who will look after him?"
"No, Baba, I will not marry."
"Are you challenging me?" Baba asked him.
"I am not challenging you, but I do not want to marry."
"You will marry!" Baba insisted.
Krishna was equally firm that he had resolved not to wed.
"All right," Baba directed him, "write it down."
Krishna took out a pencil, but Baba stopped him. He called Vishnu and told him to bring a quill pen. He then directed Nilu to draw blood from Krishna's forefinger.
To Krishna, he ordered, "Write, in your own blood: I will not marry ."
When Krishna finished, Baba examined the paper and handed it to Vishnu.
"Keep this with you, and when I ask for it again, give it to me," Baba instructed.
Four years passed. Nothing was said again about Krishna's marriage. Prior to traveling to Niranjanpur in July 1946, Baba had given Krishna a month's leave to visit his mother.
"Don't disappoint your mother," Baba ordered him. "Obey her words and make her happy."
Krishna went home and saw his family for the first time in nine years.1 After four or five days, his mother began pestering him to marry. Krishna remembered Baba's words and sent him a letter.
Baba sent a one-line telegram: "Obey your mother's words."
Krishna's mother arranged the marriage, and the marriage ceremony was held twelve days later. The very next morning, a telegram came from Baba ordering Krishna to return immediately. His bride was not upset; on the contrary, she insisted that he go.
Footnotes
- 1.Since 1939, Baba had been sending Krishna Nair's mother Rs.30 every month to help with her livelihood, which he continued to do until her death in 1964.