In India, it is a common habit that if people see a man dressed in an ocher-colored kafni with a flowing beard and long hair, they hasten to revere him and others follow suit in worshiping him, even rich and intelligent persons.
There are seven planes of consciousness. When you pass into the first plane, you lose consciousness of your body. You see wonderful sights, hear sweet music and smell sweet smells. You simply go mad! Thus, as one progresses on the Path from one plane to the next, one loses one's consciousness in the same way a man throws aside his covering of a sheet or blanket before getting out of bed. One who is on the Path becomes completely mad! People think such a one is actually mad. Suppose from a doctor's point of view Rangole is totally mad, and Sarosh, although he appears mad, is actually on the Path. Sarosh has no body consciousness; he neither eats nor sleeps. Outwardly, both Sarosh and Rangole appear mad. So how can Vinoo tell the difference?
Baba repeated the story of the deranged Fakir Bua:
In the beginning, here in Meherabad, there was a school, hospital, Mad Ashram, et cetera. In the Mad Ashram, one named Fakir Bua was more mad than anyone else. Tyebali of Poona was working here. After the Mad Ashram was disbanded, Fakir Bua was sent back to Poona. He had the habit of moving his fingers, similar to me. Tyebali spread the rumor that Fakir Bua was my chargeman! Hearing about it, people in Poona began approaching him and taking his darshan.
P. N. Limkar stood up and affirmed, "I have seen people taking Fakir Bua's darshan. He is now dead."
Baba continued:
Fakir Bua was oblivious to his surroundings and completely mad. He was neither on the spiritual path, nor was he pretending to be mad. He had not the slightest idea why people were coming to him and paying him respect. But now, I warn you against posing, because to be a hypocrite, to pretend to be what you are not, is a very low type of sin.
There are many who are hypocrites. They create an atmosphere around them which outwardly resembles that of a Spiritual Master. So naturally they gather crowds before them. Paramatma is all-merciful, forgives all, but not hypocrites! You may be good or bad, but outwardly show what you are inwardly.