Vishnu had admitted this to Baba, but only after reading the latest notice on the board. Vishnu had concluded that no action, physical or mental, ever remains hidden from the Master. The mandali then understood the meaning of that notice, and Baba felt pleased at Vishnu's frank confession.
Baba then told everyone to leave except Adi, whom he asked, "Did you feel hurt at my insulting treatment?"1
Adi replied that he felt very hurt.
Baba comforted him by saying, "Don't think about it any more. To pass through the phase of insults is very good for you. Making the guilty party pass through such trying ordeals is one of the ways of cleaning away the guilt of his action. Even Swami Ramakrishna once insulted [his close disciple] Vivekananda by telling him in a harsh, derogatory tone to go away and never come back; but, shortly afterward, he had him called back and consoled him. It is my love that has been the cause of humiliating you before the others. I treated Vishnu in the same way, yet he disregarded my insult and told the truth in their presence."
Baba then embraced Adi.
The next day, a loud argument ensued between Baba and Ghani over Ghani's sleeping late.
Baba insisted that he leave the Manzil, but after Ghani stubbornly refused, Baba asked him, "Will you follow my orders from now on — or follow your love for sleep?"
Ghani smilingly said he would follow Baba's orders.
Baba then said, "Since you have slept for practically the whole day, you may do night duty until two o'clock."
Ghani happily agreed.
Baba had encouraged the men to write ghazals, and at times, for recreation after the evening meal, the mandali would compose some poetry — but their poems usually had no meter or rhyme.
On 6 March, while Baba was in the middle of composing a humorous poem he suddenly said, "I feel like using the toilet, but I don't wish to leave the subject incomplete."
He then asked if anyone would stay by his side in the bathroom in order to write down his composition. Ghani and Adi agreed. Baba sat in the middle stall, Adi took the one to his right, and Ghani the one to his left. Ramjoo, Faredoon and Asthma stood outside. For half an hour, the muse of poetic inspiration was wooed in this seemingly unpoetic atmosphere!
Footnotes
- 1.Ramakrishna (1836–1886) was a Perfect Master. After his death, his chief disciple Swami Vivekananda spread Ramakrishna's teachings in America and England during 1893–95.