ChaptersChapter 23Page 3,225

Chapter 23: Fiery Free Life

1952Page 3,225 of 5,444
Baba, with Meherjee and Pendu, slowly approached him, and by then the mast's fury had subsided. Baba spent an hour with him, pressing his feet. Kali Kambliwala asked, "Why do you wear these red socks and black coat; use a [different color] sherwani . Throw away these socks and coat."
"Should I give these to you?" Baba inquired.
"No."
"To the poor?"
"No. But don't keep them with you either; they may harm you." Kali Kambliwala warned.
Baba instructed Meherjee to bundle up the socks and coat and put them somewhere until the time of mass darshan. Baba handed the mast some money, but he asked for round, silver four-anna pieces. Baba gave him sixteen of the coins. He was also given dried fruit, but expressed a desire only for raisins.
After this mast contact, Baba left with the men for Amraoti, arriving the same day. He was grandly received by Deshmukh's family, Nana Kher's brother Vinoo and his wife Asha, Nana's nephews Bal and Anand Subhedar and some of the elite of the town. Deshmukh was teaching at a university in Amraoti and had made arrangements for Baba to stay at his house, and for the mandali to stay in Vinoo Kher's house nearby.
Baba did not like the arrangements and criticized Deshmukh to the mandali, stating, "Deshmukh is a jewel; he works hard for me, but sometimes he does not follow my orders literally. During my stay in Amraoti, I will change this habit of his for good!"
After arriving at Deshmukh's bungalow, Baba stated, "First I will have my food. Then I will rest for two hours. Don't disturb me until then."
But after some time, Deshmukh entered Baba's room and requested that he finish the poor work, as the poor had already arrived. Although annoyed, Baba agreed. But he became further irritated when, against prior instructions, he found that some of Deshmukh's students had been included among the poor. Deshmukh wanted his university students to have Baba's contact and had brought them with that intention. So in addition, another poor, middle-aged man was brought, to whom Baba bowed down and gave Rs.100.
After the program, Baba called Vishnu and reprimanded him in front of Deshmukh, "Since my instructions are not well observed, it is better I leave this place immediately."
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