I told Baba, "Your will has prevailed."
Baba, with a sweep of his hand, pointing to everyone sitting before him in the men mandali hall in Guruprasad, stated, "If my will were to prevail, I would have liked to turn all of you into lepers!"
Baba gave many explanations and discourses during this period. To all those who came to Guruprasad for Baba's darshan, this directive was to be read by them:
Oftentimes beloved Baba has stressed the fact that if you pay a visit to any sadhu, saint or shrine during your visits to Baba, for his darshan or sahavas, it is tantamount to your not having come expressly for Baba.
When you have the rare opportunity of coming in contact with Baba, the Ocean of Love, you should not vitiate the Baba-atmosphere prevailing in your heart at that time by having a passing thought, even under the guise of idle curiosity, to visit any saint or shrine.
In the summer it is customary for sadhus, saints, yogis and such others to visit Poona for a change. Among such visitors, only some are genuine. Baba has said that he is the slave of the genuine lovers of God, and at the same time he is the Highest of the High. In short, during your stay in Poona it is expected of you that you do not visit any saint, sadhu and the like, but remain happy and careful in Baba's love.
During one session (on 30 May), Baba told his lovers:
I often warn my lovers not to visit any saints. Why do I do so? Because in that case there is a likelihood of your breaking the instructions that I give you. For your personal, spiritual upliftment, such incidents are most undesirable, and for me, as I take you to be mine, it becomes an added suffering. If you have faith in me as the Ancient One, it is unnecessary for you to visit any saint or sadhu, or promise any such persons to obey his advice.
For instance, suppose I have ordered you to observe fast and during that period you visit a saint who offers you prasad and asks you to eat it. This will put you in a dilemma. If you eat this prasad you break my order; if you don't eat it, you insult the saint. Such incidents have already happened, and so to save you from such a predicament, I have to warn you again and again to stay away from saints.