On 13 August, Baba sent for the Ahmednagar bhajan group. Besides the singers and musicians, also present were the Satha family, Dhake, Rangole, Waman, Chhagan and Bhagirath — about 50 men and women in all. They arrived at 8:25 A.M. in Bhagirath's truck. After listening to some devotional music, Baba was in a jocular mood.
When he caught sight of Goma Ganesh, whose chin bristled with a two-inch beard, Baba cracked, "Baidul [who had also grown a beard] until now was under the impression that he was unrivaled, but here is Goma Ganesh as his competitor."
Tracing his five-month stay in Poona, Baba began: "I gave my love in full to the Poona lovers during this period, and received it in abundance. You were left out; so you are called here today. From tomorrow, you, too, will be shut out. I want to emphasize three points:
"First, meet me with your hearts full of love. Second, take my prasad and eat it to the full. Third, fight out your squabbles to the full extent here."
Baba inquired of a few newcomers as to who they were and what they did, and was duly informed. Baba mentioned Maharani Shantadevi, Maisaheb Patwardhan (the Rani of Kurundwad), Sardar Raste and others, both prominent and less so, and bespoke of their love for him in very appreciative terms.
Seeing Bhaiya Panday, the photographer, Baba taunted him, "Your competitor in Poona, Bhikubhai, is a true lover.1 Poona lovers are real lovers. In the local [Ahmednagar] Center, too, there are some."
Baba chided Panday for his material outlook, compared to Bhikubhai.
He also asked him, "Why are you looking so old?"
Panday replied, "My mother passed away recently after suffering much. Night and day, I was attending to her needs."
Baba noted, "Sometimes young and promising careers come to an end unexpectedly. So why should you grieve for your old mother? If one becomes old in God's remembrance or in my service, that could be understood."
Rangole interjected a few words of praise for Panday, who had presented a large painting of Baba for the newly refurbished Center.
Baba inquired of those who had jobs as to how they had managed to be present, and he was informed that they had arranged for it beforehand.
He then asked, "Is there any disharmony or discord among organizers and workers of the Nagar Meher Center?"
Rangole replied that there was some misunderstanding.
Baba replied, "Quarrels are good, but misunderstanding is bad."
Footnotes
- 1.Bhaiya Panday had a photography studio in Ahmednagar, near Khushru Quarters, and Bhikubhai Panarkar had one in Poona called Meelan Photo Studio. Both men took many photographs of Meher Baba and sold reproductions.