"Mighty is the manyness of this illusion!" thought Age. "To emancipate oneself from maya's clutches is impossible without the help of a Perfect One."1
Once, very early in the morning, Baba left Meherazad for Meherabad. Sailor Mama saw Baba's car pull up and informed all, "Baba has come, Baba has come." Everyone rushed to receive him — all except Ghani's nephew Rashid, who was still sound asleep. Baba took a plate and ladle and went to his room. He began striking the metal plate with the spoon near Rashid's ear, shocking the boy into wakefulness.
Baba scolded, "God has come to you, and you are sleeping!"
Murli Kale was conducting the homeopathic dispensary in Meherabad, and Rashid was his assistant. One day Babadas went to the dispensary and told Rashid, "India and Pakistan are at loggerheads, shedding each other's blood. Why don't you go to Pakistan and help your Muslim brothers?"
"I will remain here and nowhere else," Rashid replied.
"If the Hindus beat you up, what will you do?"
"I won't take it lying down; I will strike back!" He pulled a penknife out of his pocket and showed it to Babadas.
Babadas reported the matter to Baba, who called Rashid, whereupon Baba admonished, "It is not good to get so worked up. If you want to strike back, strike out at your own wrath! For me, inequality does not exist. All are equal for me as I am in everyone. But only those who love me are dear to me."
Baba warned Babadas not to discuss such topics again, and also instructed the other mandali to refrain from mentioning politics.
On Wednesday, 15 December 1948, Nana Kher of Nagpur and Was Deo Kain of Delhi were brought to Meherazad by Adi Sr. to see Baba. Nana Kher had repeatedly requested to stay with Baba. He had recently heard from Babadas that Baba was looking for lovers who would be prepared to go to foreign countries to do his work.
Nana told Baba this, and Baba asked him, "Would you be able to do anything I say?"
"Anything," Nana replied.
"Would you kill your father?"
"I would do anything you told me, Baba."
"Are you prepared to undergo life imprisonment for my sake, to suffer physically and mentally for the rest of your life? Will you do that for me?"
Nana answered affirmatively, and Baba asked about his activities in Nagpur.
Baba then ordered, "I want you to go back, and return here within two months with four lakhs [400,000] of rupees."
"All right," Nana calmly replied.
"From where will you bring it?" Baba asked.
"I will beg!" Nana declared.
"Who would give you alms? I have a better idea," Baba teased. "Rob a bank and give me the money. Then surrender to the police and accept your guilt. You will be sent to prison, and there you will be able to remember me more. Could you do that?"
Footnotes
- 1.Vishnu Chavan was also given certain instructions in December 1948, about touring Uttar Pradesh for two months, making a list of advanced souls there, and then to come and stay with Baba for a few weeks, but he too did not fulfill Baba's instructions.